Barakah Heritage Farm USA

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  • Implementing Your Dreams on the Permaculture Homestead

    Implementing Your Dreams on the Permaculture Homestead

    Implementing Your Dreams on the Permaculture Homestead

    When developing a permaculture homestead, you’ve got a lot of dreams and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Are you wondering where to start? Here’s how to look at all you want to accomplish and create a plan that breaks it down into manageable tasks. This is called implementation planning.

    Posts may contain affiliate links, which allow me to earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps keep costs down so that I can continue providing high quality content to you for free. I appreciate your purchase through the links! (full disclosure)

    In my article 6 Maps to Draw for the Permaculture Designed Homestead, I walked you through creating a Master Plan for your productive homestead paradise. In this article, we will work from the Master Plan to produce Phases of Implementation. (You can’t do it all at once!)

    Here is my Master Plan:

    Implementation Planning

    With our Master Plan in hand, we have a grand vision for our homestead. In my own Master Plan above, MY DREAM is to create:

    • a food forest
    • a meadow
    • walking trails in the woods with edible foraging strips throughout
    • a vegetable garden
    • a collection of outbuildings including a garden shed, wood shed, small livestock compound, composting center, and greenhouse

    Now, each of these dreams will take significant time, effort, and cost to complete. The worst thing I could do is try my hand at all of them at the same time, willy-nilly! I want to give each one the proper attention so it is done well and functions efficiently within the whole system.

    What we need now is a realistic schedule that not only breaks down the whole list into manageable steps, but that also considers emergent and limiting factors to put the steps into the most efficient and logical ORDER.

    Let’s dive in and see if we can make sense of this.

    #1: The BIG LIST Exercise

    In this step, list out all of the MAJOR considerations within each of your dreams. Here’s an example of the difference between a major and minor consideration:

    Major Consideration: Having a water source for your garden
    Minor Consideration: What you want to plant (that part comes later!)

    Example:

    For my Vegetable Garden Dream, I must consider the following major tasks/challenges:

    • Water: Downspouts from the house need buried and directed to garden, there is no spigot near the garden
    • Storage: There is no storage for supplies or materials near the garden
    • Garden Design: Plan layout of permanent beds within footprint of garden boundaries
    • Bed Development: Import some organic matter, and may need materials to build raised beds
    • Fencing: Deer, raccoons, and many more critters from the woods will likely be vying for my delicious crops

    I’ve put the above tasks and challenges into the most logical order I can think of in this moment. I definitely don’t want to plant a garden before I have a water source or before I have a place to store equipment and materials.

    I also don’t want to plant anything before I’ve put up proper fencing. I know the deer will be a problem, so rather than plant a garden and then curse the deer for eating it, I will accept the reality of the situation and take the proper action before growing any crops. (Always avoid time and money wasters whenever possible).

    Back to my Dream List: the food forest, meadow, walking trails, and outbuildings are next on the docket for this exercise. For each, I will list all of the major considerations and challenges that I can think of, and the order in which to do them that seems to make the most sense with the information I have available to me today.

    Now, I could willy-nilly start growing vegetables in random places around my property, but if I want to have a cohesive and efficient design, I’m going to have to put all of my focus on proper development. At this stage, willy-nilly vegetable growing would distract me from completing my development goals. High-intensity vegetable gardening can happen later when I’m not putting all of my eggs into the development basket.

    Implementing Your Dreams on the Permaculture Homestead

    A Word About Realistic Expectations:

    It’s important to have realistic expectations of the amount of time you have to devote to your homestead development efforts. Development phases don’t ALSO have to be super-productive phases. The original Tenth Acre Farm was developed over 8 years with very little productivity in those first couple of years, but the end result was an amazingly beautiful, efficient, and productive micro-farm.

    Both productivity and development CAN be done at once, but only if you’re a full-time homesteader (having more time to do it all), or if you’re NOT concerned with designing and developing an efficient homestead (in which case, this article is not for you).

    Would you like to learn more about using permaculture design to improve the biodiversity of your garden, reduce maintenance, and increase yield?

    You’ll find loads of information just like this in my book, The Suburban Micro-Farm.

     

    #2: The EMERGENT AND LIMITING FACTORS Exercise

    In this step, you will go deeper into what factors may affect the ORDER in which you complete your steps.

    Emergent Factors are emergency-type tasks that need to be completed right away for some reason or another.

    Example 1: Our basement floods when it rains because the downspouts are improperly channeled and the formal landscaping is improperly graded.

    I’ve moved ‘properly channel downspouts toward future growing areas‘ to the top of our task list because it solves an emergent issue. I’ve also added ‘regrade and redesign formal landscape‘ to the top of the task list for the same reason.

    Example 2: Previous owners allowed giant trees to grow right next to the house, in direct line of the wind. *Holding breath when bad storms come through.

    I’ve moved ‘work with arborist to remove trees that could be a safety threat during a storm‘ higher on the list. Benefit: Space for a food forest is created where previously there was none! Smaller fruit trees and shrubs will not threaten safety or damage to the house.

    Example 3: You have livestock, pets, or children and need fencing ASAP.

    In example three above, think about what would need to be completed before fencing can be installed. Does an access road/path need put in first? How about animal shelter—will it be easy to bring in materials for building animal shelters after the fence is up? Have you planned for properly sized gates? Are there any pipes or electrical wires that need buried first?

    One emergent factor can create a cascade of other tasks that move higher on the list.

    Limiting Factors are challenges that might prevent certain tasks from being completed in a certain order.

    Some examples are:

    • Seasonal: Tasks that can only be completed in a certain time of year or season
    • Financial: Tasks that have to wait until money is saved
    • Labor: Tasks that must be completed by skilled professionals or that have to wait until helpers are available
    • Resource: Tasks that must wait until resources/tools/materials are purchased/collected/delivered

    Example: My Vegetable Garden Dream requires that we build a garden shed for tool/material storage, which must also include a spigot for watering (running a water line as well as electric). This will be time-consuming (and perhaps expensive) to build. When I factor in the additional costs of garden bed development and fencing, the vegetable garden project as a whole moves lower down on the list while we save money for it.

    Implementing Your Dreams on the Permaculture Homestead

    #3: The SMALL CHANGES WITH AN IMMEDIATE BENEFIT Exercise

    Are there any steps that are easy to complete, would create significant momentum, and can be done before other tasks? In permaculture, this is called ‘the least change for the greatest effect’. We want small and easy wins to motivate and encourage us to keep going (low hanging fruit).

    It can be beneficial to work outward from your zone 1 (see 6 Maps for your Permaculture Homestead for an explanation of zones) or other already managed areas.

    Example: Regrading and redesigning my formal landscape (zone 1):

    • allows us to bury downspouts and properly direct them toward growing areas (passive irrigation)
    • eliminates basement flooding
    • improves biodiversity with more flowering and native plants (good for future gardens)
    • improves curb appeal and general enjoyment of outdoor sitting areas
    • reduces formal landscape by 685 square feet, making it more manageable so there is more time for food-growing projects

    Now obviously the formal landscape is not useful in the sense that it produces a lot of food. But it does help us knock out several challenges at once, giving us momentum, and takes away the nagging in the back of my mind about the jungle that was growing by the front door.

    This exercise ultimately helps to relieve our mind of the worry of all there is to do and starts momentum in the right direction. When we have a clear plan of action, we can simply focus on the next thing on the list, and put all our energy into it.

    #4: The TIMELINE Exercise

    For this exercise, it can be helpful to physically put your major tasks in the most efficient/logical order. I like to use sticky notes on a whiteboard, other people like to use index cards, and still others like to use a spreadsheet on the computer. Choose what works for you.

    Here’s what my timeline looks like when I put all of the major tasks into order, when I consider my dreams, emergent/limiting factors, and easy wins:

    #5: The PHASES OF IMPLEMENTATION Exercise

    You probably feel pretty good about getting all of your dreams—and the tasks that help you achieve them—into a physical list to work from. This is amazing, and no small feat of accomplishment. Pat yourself on the back!

    But we can go a step farther and divide this list of tasks into PHASES. Phases can be thought of in terms of YEARS. Alternatively, each phase could have an indefinite ending, where due to time or budget constraints you commit to working on each phase until it is completed, with no guilt or sense of urgency.

    When I take the 25 tasks on my timeline above and divide them into phases, here is what I get:

    Here’s why you want to create phases of implementation: Checking things off a list feels really good! But more important than that, it’s important to have a stopping point. We could to-do-list ourselves right to our grave, and life is definitely more than a to-do list.

    Stop to enjoy and appreciate what you’ve created, while you have the wherewithal to do so. Celebrate your hard work and commitment to work done well. Here at Tenth Acre Farm, we always have a little celebration when something gets checked off the list.

    The cool thing about doing this with sticky notes on a whiteboard is that if something doesn’t get done during the prescribed phase, it can be easily moved to the next phase with just an adjustment of sticky notes.

    What I didn’t include in my phases of implementation on the whiteboard presentation above (for lack of space) is Year Zero:

    This was our first year at our new home, and the year we took to observe the natural happenings of our land, discover what animals and insects call this home, see how things change throughout the seasons, and vision for the future. Some ideas for our homestead were fleeting, while others remained firm in our minds as the year went on. These were the ones worth adding to our master plan and spending time and money on.

    During Year Zero, we saved money for Phase One, developed the plan I’ve shared with you here, and prepared to jump into Year One with both feet. In the landscaping profession, the prep time before a job starts is called “staging”. This is where you collect all of the necessary materials, equipment, and plants for a particular job.

    I liken “year zero” to “staging”. We are designing, planning, budgeting, and collecting the materials necessary to jump in to “year one” with both feet, which will help to avoid the problems and time-wasters associated with jumping in without a plan.

    Our Phase One here at Tenth Acre Farm at Twisted Creek:

    As you can see in my Phases of Implementation photo above, we’ve already checked a few items off our Year One list and have gained momentum.

    We brought in a professional tree service to take down the tall trees that were too close to the house. They chipped up the small stuff, which is a great beginning for the food forest. They left the big stuff, and we’ll slowly turn it into firewood and lumber. Once the heavy machinery was gone, we buried the downspouts, directing them to the garden areas, and regraded the formal landscaping.

    I’ve redesigned the landscape, and I’m excited to have 685 square feet LESS of landscaping areas to manage. The remaining landscaped areas will be more beautiful, more biodiverse, and easier to maintain. I can’t stop smiling as we head toward food forest development right on time!

    Summary

    Developing a homestead is an exciting and rewarding venture, but it can be overwhelming to figure out how to accomplish all there is to do. Implementation planning can be super helpful for breaking down all you want to accomplish into manageable tasks and putting them into a logical and efficient order.

    References

    Need more homestead inspiration?

    The following articles will help you on your journey toward a fulfilling and productive homestead life.

    Homesteading:

    Growing Food:

    Need more ideas for growing a permaculture garden?

    The following articles will help you on your journey toward a vibrant and productive garden.

    Learn more about permaculture in my article What is Permaculture?

    Permaculture Homestead Design Tools:

    Permaculture Deep Thoughts:

    Permaculture Gardening Techniques:

    Growing Perennials Permaculture-Style:

    Improving Soil:

    Water Management:

    The Power of Permaculture Herbs:

    Would you like to learn more about improving the biodiversity of your garden, reducing maintenance, and increasing yield?

    You’ll find loads of information just like this in my book, The Suburban Micro-Farm.

     

     

    How have you used implementation planning to pace your way through completing a dream?

    Implementing Your Dreams on the Permaculture Homestead

    https://www.tenthacrefarm.com/2017/06/implementing-your-dreams-on-the-permaculture-homestead/

    On – 04 Jun, 2017 By Amy

  • Backyard Garden ‘Cash Crops’: Make Money with a Home Garden

    Backyard Garden ‘Cash Crops’: Make Money with a Home Garden

     

    There’s not a thing wrong with growing beautiful flowers and donating them to senior citizens on your block. But for people who want to make a profit from a backyard garden, it’s time to ditch the roses and start making some real money.

    The fact is that just about anyone with an average-sized yard can create a profitable garden. Depending on what the “crops” are, the financial yield can range from small change to a significant amount of money. Much depends on the quality of the soil, the local climate, and the regional market for various herbs and “cash-crop” plants. Very little depends on the innate talent of the gardener because the basic skills are easy to pick up.

     How to Begin with a Simple Plot or a Greenhouse

    Start out small and slowly add to your garden’s size and sophistication, experts suggest. The National Gardening Association points out that even a very small plot, measuring no more than 10 feet by 15 feet, can yield approximately $600 worth of produce in a single year. That’s after an investment of about $75 on seeds, water, plant food, etc.

    Saving $525 on the annual grocery bill is nice, but how can gardeners bump that number into the thousands? Research has shown that the number-one motivating factor for starting a home garden is “saving money on groceries.” That means people want to know more about this valuable topic.

    One key point that amateur gardeners need to remember is to plant the foods they enjoy eating. The more items in a garden that end up on your plate, the more money you’ll save in the long run.

    After doing some research and then deciding exactly what to plant, note that a small greenhouse is also a great investment and can usually pay for itself in one year or less, especially if you build it yourself from scrap lumber and a few purchased supplies.

    The Best “Cash Crops” for a Home Garden

    So, what to grow? Besides opting for the foods you eat, perhaps there are a few items that sell briskly at the local farmer’s market. Buying seeds and starting some plants indoors is a smart way to begin. The National Gardening Association has a very helpful chart, here, about what the cost is to produce various levels of yield for common garden crops.

    Depending where you live and how long winter lasts, it is possible to earn some serious money by growing “specialty crops,” things that are not common to the average household garden. What are the best cash crops for a 600-square foot backyard garden?

    On an investment of less than $300, you can grow lavender, bonsai plants, gourmet mushrooms, garlic and specialty herbs. All have ready markets and are easy to grow. Gourmet garlic comes in four varieties: porcelain, purple-stripe, elephant and rocambole. Because garlic tolerates a variety of weather conditions, it is one of the highest profit crops for home gardeners.

    Specialty crops can be sold at a farmer’s market or to local retailers and gourmet food stores. Lavender can be sold to local florists and boutiques that use the fresh plants to make all sorts of beauty products.

    Bonsai plants and gourmet mushrooms are also an easy sell. Local florists often depend on nearby residents to supply them with fast-selling items like bonsai. As for gourmet mushrooms, they are perhaps the most profitable of all crops on this list. Sold fresh at farmer’s markets or in local stores, it is easy to build up a small network of buyers for your high-quality, home-grown shiitake or oyster mushrooms. Because they can be grown indoors and are thus “climate-proof,” mushrooms are a home garden favorite of entrepreneurs all over the U.S.

    Money-making Medicinal Plants and Organics

    All of the above-mentioned cash crops can be grown as organics to increase their prices at market, but remember to follow organic guidelines for pest control, watering, and plant food throughout the growing cycle. Organics bring much higher prices and some sellers at farmer’s markets specialize in organic produce. Making a business connection with a few organic sellers can boost your home garden’s profits significantly.

    Medicinal plants and herbs are another high-profit category for home growers. Some of these items are a bit finicky but can be grown in a backyard garden. Currently, the most in-demand medicinal herbs are Chamomile, Echinacea, Feverfew, Lavender (see above), Marigold, Lemon Balm, and Basil.

    Actually, there are more than a hundred medicinal herbs you can grow but the above seven are the most popular with most local health stores and other retail buyers. The main advantage of growing herbs and specialty crops like mushrooms and garlic is the tiny amount of space needed for a profitable yield.

    Facts and Myths about Home Garden Businesses

    Myths about home gardening abound, and unfortunately keep many people from giving this fun endeavor a try. Here are some of the most common myths, with their “debunking” facts immediately following:

    “It’s too expensive.” A home garden can be started on less than $100 of seeds and supplies. Then, it pays for itself about five times over within the first year.

    “It’s too much trouble and hard work.” You can devote as much time as you want to a profitable home garden, but the minimum is about four hours per week. That averages out to a tad more than a half hour per day, hardly a major time commitment. As for the “hard work,” a portable, low-slung chair or thick, washable cushion and good posture make the job easy and fun. No need for backbreaking labor with a home garden.

    “Home gardening requires lots of technical knowledge.” If you can read and understand simple instructions, there are literally thousands of gardening manuals and books for beginners online and off. Most are either free or very low cost. Building a backyard garden is not corporate farm management or brain surgery. It’s simple to learn, and very rewarding.

    “It’s hard to make a profit with a backyard plot.” In reality, it’s hard not to make a profit with a small garden. Even if you consume everything you grow, your grocery bill will be lower and you will probably be healthier from eating all that unprocessed, home-grown produce.

    Let the Learning, Earning (and Fun) Begin!

    With no more than a backyard and desire to make a few extra bucks, anybody can start a profitable home-garden business. Depending upon how much time and effort you want to put into the endeavor, the activity can become a fun hobby or a full-blown avocation.

    Many retired people spend time in their gardens every day. Being outdoors and staying active is also a smart way to maintain overall good health. If approached with realistic expectations and the right amount of planning, home gardening for profit can be a healthy and exciting way to earn extra money.

    https://www.selfrely.com/backyard-garden-cash-crops-make-money-with-a-home-garden/

    On – 03 Feb, 2017 By Lester Beltran

  • Adding Animals to the Homestead

    Adding Animals to the Homestead

    Somewhere along your homesteading journey, you will probably get the itch to start adding animals to the homestead. Or, the opportunity will present itself in an offer you can’t refuse. Perhaps someone is giving away a flock of “free” chickens, or you fall in love with a baby goat and decide this is the right time for adding animals to the homestead.

    What Is the Right Time for Adding Animals to the Homestead?

    Adding Animals to the homestead

    Whether it’s a well planned adventure, or a series of events, you should have an idea beforehand of what each type of care the animal will require. We have raised and kept many kinds of pets and livestock at Timber Creek Farm. Our first animals were horses and ponies, followed by goats, a donkey, chickens, rabbits, ducks, sheep, turkeys, cows and pigs. There is much to be said for practical, hands on learning.  I will be honest, and tell you that I have not always followed the advice I am giving out now.  As they say, hindsight is 20/20!

    Read and Ask Questions Before Adding Animals to the Homestead

    Ask lots of questions and be prepared for on the job learning! But, that said, try to be as prepared as possible, BEFORE adding animals to the homestead!

    1.  Build suitable fencing and secure housing.

    This can be a hard point if you are not sure what the animal needs. Different animals and poultry require different housing and fencing. Chickens will be safely housed in a secure coop with appropriate ventilation and interior accessories such as nest boxes and roosts. Pigs don’t require an enclosed building necessarily. An open shed will serve as adequate shelter but the fencing for pigs most likely will need a line or two of electric to persuade the pigs to stay put. Know what each species needs in order to be raised successfully.

    2.  Be aware of predators in your area and learn how to keep your animals safe.

    If all of this is new to you, ask other neighbors or the Extension Service agent in your area for information about possible predators, in your area. Use the appropriate fencing to keep predators out of the animal’s area. Using the wrong wire fencing can lead to tragedy. You can read more about the different fencing for chickens in this post.

    3.   Make sure you have a way to get plenty of water to the animals, even in subfreezing temperatures.

    There aren’t many things that happen around the farm that I don’t enjoy. Except for carrying water to the animals when the hoses are frozen and the water tanks are solid blocks of ice. We need about 15 gallons of water in the morning and evening to keep everyone hydrated. That’s just the animals who don’t have floating tank deicers in their water. Water is a big concern during extreme weather. In the event of possible power outage from a big storm, we stock up by filling all the tanks before the storm hits.  Yes, think about water. These electric heated water bowls can help with water staying thawed during the day. I recommend uplugging them at night and refilling in the morning. Chickens don’t need water available while they are sleeping.

    4. Having all things in place before the animals arrival, will  add to your enjoyment of raising livestock.

    I preach this. It’s my mantra. Unfortunately, I don’t often take my own advice. Yes, I too succumb to bringing home animals without making the proper plan ahead of time. Fortunately, we have lots of available options for temporary housing when my heart gets ahead of my better judgement. But it all goes smoother if you plan ahead. Believe me, you will still have plenty of reasons to make adjustments once you get to know the new arrivals.

      DSC_2091 Adding animals to your homestead timber creek farm

    DSC_3278 Timber Creek Farm Add Animals to you farm

    What is the best animal to start with?

    I can’t tell you which animal type is the best one to purchase first, when adding animals to the homestead.  This depends on your ability to care for them and your particular passions. If you love fiber crafts and yarn then you may want to raise your own sheep or fiber animals. If the thought of caring for a large sheep scares you, perhaps an angora rabbit would be a good choice. Large families or those with specific dietary needs, may consider raising meat animals might help the food budget.

    Urban homesteaders may have limitations set by the town government, on what can be kept within the city limits. I put the information that you can use  to make a decision into a table format. The dollar estimates are based on an average cost in the mid Atlantic region at the time of writing. Your local feed store or veterinarian prices may vary but this will give you a starting place for your planning.

    How Much Time is Involved in Animal Care?

    All livestock require everyday care.  We feed all of our animals twice a day.  I am sure there are folks who feed once a day but feeding twice a day gives you twice the opportunity to head off a potential problem.  Sometimes, twenty four hours can make a difference in the health of your animal, and catching an illness early can often save the animals life. Each week, more intensive labor chores are completed, such as moving hay bales to the barn, cleaning stalls and pens, and filling up water troughs. Basically, the larger the animal, the larger the cleanup effort!

    Refer to the following sections for my estimates on the physical strength, costs and care required for various species.

    Care Needs of Different Homestead Livestock

    Physical Strength Needed Average Costs Time requirement Concerns or notes
    Chickens and Ducks
    (laying hens for eggs)    		 Other than being able to clean the coop regularly, carry water to the coop and hold a chicken if it should need medical attention, strength needed is average. Raising poultry is suitable for those learning to homestead. In a coop and enclosed pen situation, estimate 50 lb bag of layer ration for 12 – 15 mature hens. Costs will vary but an estimate of $12- $16 dollars a week is an average. If you are able to free range, the feed cost will go down. Minimum of twice a day care needed to freshen the water, remove old feed and distribute fresh feed. Cleaning weekly as needed. Less cleaning is needed in the winter months as the accumulated bedding will help warm and insulate the chicken coop. Free Range can mean a free dinner for the foxes and racoons. Having a sturdy coop that can be tightly shut will protect your hens from predators.
    Rabbits Not a significant requirement. Similar to poultry. 1 rabbit estimate of 5lbs of feed per week. Will vary with the cold weather. Rabbit will eat more during cold weather. Approximately $3- $8 dollars a week plus fresh food supplements such as leafy greens, carrots, bananas, apples Twice per day check and refresh water and food. During below freezing temperatures, water may need to be refreshed more often. Nail clipping needed and general body condition checks needed. Hutch must be secure and predator proof.
    Goats – for milk, fiber or meat, field buddy for a horse You may need to lift a goat onto a stand for examination or to give meds, shear fiber, or general care. Strength can be a factor although there are ways to work smarter and not harder. Goats prefer browse to pasture grass so the hay can be of lower quality, weedier except for lactating dams and last stage of pregnancy. Commercial goat chow cost average $13 – $18 for a 50 lb bag. We feed half a cup per goat/twice a day, with free choice hay and browse. Approximately 1 hay flake per goat per day (hay bales separate into portions called flakes) Basic care for a herd of goats will take about 30 minutes, two times per day. Check fences, observe the goats, feed, and water.
    Weekly, clean up the stall area and remove soiled hay. Replace bedding. General stall cleaning and maintenance.    		 Goats require yearly vaccinations. You can learn to do this on your own, except for the rabies vaccine which in many states has to be administered by a veterinarian. Hoof trimming needs to be done two to four times a year. Breeding animals may require more care,
    Pigs More cleaning will need to be done so more strength will be required. The pigs can be pushy and aggressive for food. Pigs are very resourceful and can use many different food types to convert to muscle mass. Kitchen scraps, garden waste, hay and commercial feed can all be used to produce a healthy animal. Pig feed average cost is $17. Whole corn is another alternative and can be a cheaper choice. Fencing for the pig area or pig pastures will be a time consuming factor before bringing home the piglets. I believe the use of electric fencing is a must with pigs. We use both post and board fencing with dual electric lines inside the fence line. I do not recommend raising pigs as a first homestead animal choice. I recommend developing some homestead instincts and animal knowledge before venturing into raising pigs
    Cows – beef yes physical strength is required. varies. Pasture with strong fencing is a must. Finishing the beef cow on grain will run about $11 and $14 dollars a bag. daily care may not amount to much depending on your property but in the big picture, raising beef cattle can be very time consuming I do not recommend starting a homestead with beef cattle.

    I hope this gives you a good start on gathering information before adding animals to the homestead. Remember, homesteading is a journey, not a race. Having a field full of livestock, but not enjoying caring for them, is not worth the effort or expense. Add what your family needs and can care for slowly.  Enjoy the journey!

    We raise animals on our farm for our homestead use.  We are not commercial poultry or beef producers.    The information I am conveying here is from this point of view.    I welcome your  constructive comments below.  Please share with us, your encouraging tips and advice for new homesteaders.

     

     

     

     For more in this series please visit –

    So You Want to be a Homesteader Part 1

     The Bookshelf- So You Want to be a Homesteader – Part 2

    This post was shared on The Homestead Barn Hop,

    Simple Saturday Hop,

    From the Farm Blog Hop,

    Backyard Farming Connection Hop, 

    Mountain Woman Journal Hop

    http://timbercreekfarmer.com/adding-animals-to-the-homestead-so-you-want-to-be-a-homesteader-part-3/

    On – 30 Dec, 2016 By Janet Garman

  • Adding Animals to the Homestead

    Adding Animals to the Homestead

    Somewhere along your homesteading journey, you will probably get the itch to start adding animals to the homestead. Or, the opportunity will present itself in an offer you can’t refuse. Perhaps someone is giving away a flock of “free” chickens, or you fall in love with a baby goat and decide this is the right time for adding animals to the homestead.

    What Is the Right Time for Adding Animals to the Homestead?

    Adding Animals to the homestead

    Whether it’s a well planned adventure, or a series of events, you should have an idea beforehand of what each type of care the animal will require. We have raised and kept many kinds of pets and livestock at Timber Creek Farm. Our first animals were horses and ponies, followed by goats, a donkey, chickens, rabbits, ducks, sheep, turkeys, cows and pigs. There is much to be said for practical, hands on learning.  I will be honest, and tell you that I have not always followed the advice I am giving out now.  As they say, hindsight is 20/20!

    Read and Ask Questions Before Adding Animals to the Homestead

    Ask lots of questions and be prepared for on the job learning! But, that said, try to be as prepared as possible, BEFORE adding animals to the homestead!

    1.  Build suitable fencing and secure housing.

    This can be a hard point if you are not sure what the animal needs. Different animals and poultry require different housing and fencing. Chickens will be safely housed in a secure coop with appropriate ventilation and interior accessories such as nest boxes and roosts. Pigs don’t require an enclosed building necessarily. An open shed will serve as adequate shelter but the fencing for pigs most likely will need a line or two of electric to persuade the pigs to stay put. Know what each species needs in order to be raised successfully.

    2.  Be aware of predators in your area and learn how to keep your animals safe.

    If all of this is new to you, ask other neighbors or the Extension Service agent in your area for information about possible predators, in your area. Use the appropriate fencing to keep predators out of the animal’s area. Using the wrong wire fencing can lead to tragedy. You can read more about the different fencing for chickens in this post.

    3.   Make sure you have a way to get plenty of water to the animals, even in subfreezing temperatures.

    There aren’t many things that happen around the farm that I don’t enjoy. Except for carrying water to the animals when the hoses are frozen and the water tanks are solid blocks of ice. We need about 15 gallons of water in the morning and evening to keep everyone hydrated. That’s just the animals who don’t have floating tank deicers in their water. Water is a big concern during extreme weather. In the event of possible power outage from a big storm, we stock up by filling all the tanks before the storm hits.  Yes, think about water. These electric heated water bowls can help with water staying thawed during the day. I recommend uplugging them at night and refilling in the morning. Chickens don’t need water available while they are sleeping.

    4. Having all things in place before the animals arrival, will  add to your enjoyment of raising livestock.

    I preach this. It’s my mantra. Unfortunately, I don’t often take my own advice. Yes, I too succumb to bringing home animals without making the proper plan ahead of time. Fortunately, we have lots of available options for temporary housing when my heart gets ahead of my better judgement. But it all goes smoother if you plan ahead. Believe me, you will still have plenty of reasons to make adjustments once you get to know the new arrivals.

      DSC_2091 Adding animals to your homestead timber creek farm

    DSC_3278 Timber Creek Farm Add Animals to you farm

    What is the best animal to start with?

    I can’t tell you which animal type is the best one to purchase first, when adding animals to the homestead.  This depends on your ability to care for them and your particular passions. If you love fiber crafts and yarn then you may want to raise your own sheep or fiber animals. If the thought of caring for a large sheep scares you, perhaps an angora rabbit would be a good choice. Large families or those with specific dietary needs, may consider raising meat animals might help the food budget.

    Urban homesteaders may have limitations set by the town government, on what can be kept within the city limits. I put the information that you can use  to make a decision into a table format. The dollar estimates are based on an average cost in the mid Atlantic region at the time of writing. Your local feed store or veterinarian prices may vary but this will give you a starting place for your planning.

    How Much Time is Involved in Animal Care?

    All livestock require everyday care.  We feed all of our animals twice a day.  I am sure there are folks who feed once a day but feeding twice a day gives you twice the opportunity to head off a potential problem.  Sometimes, twenty four hours can make a difference in the health of your animal, and catching an illness early can often save the animals life. Each week, more intensive labor chores are completed, such as moving hay bales to the barn, cleaning stalls and pens, and filling up water troughs. Basically, the larger the animal, the larger the cleanup effort!

    Refer to the following sections for my estimates on the physical strength, costs and care required for various species.

    Care Needs of Different Homestead Livestock

    Physical Strength Needed Average Costs Time requirement Concerns or notes
    Chickens and Ducks
    (laying hens for eggs)    		 Other than being able to clean the coop regularly, carry water to the coop and hold a chicken if it should need medical attention, strength needed is average. Raising poultry is suitable for those learning to homestead. In a coop and enclosed pen situation, estimate 50 lb bag of layer ration for 12 – 15 mature hens. Costs will vary but an estimate of $12- $16 dollars a week is an average. If you are able to free range, the feed cost will go down. Minimum of twice a day care needed to freshen the water, remove old feed and distribute fresh feed. Cleaning weekly as needed. Less cleaning is needed in the winter months as the accumulated bedding will help warm and insulate the chicken coop. Free Range can mean a free dinner for the foxes and racoons. Having a sturdy coop that can be tightly shut will protect your hens from predators.
    Rabbits Not a significant requirement. Similar to poultry. 1 rabbit estimate of 5lbs of feed per week. Will vary with the cold weather. Rabbit will eat more during cold weather. Approximately $3- $8 dollars a week plus fresh food supplements such as leafy greens, carrots, bananas, apples Twice per day check and refresh water and food. During below freezing temperatures, water may need to be refreshed more often. Nail clipping needed and general body condition checks needed. Hutch must be secure and predator proof.
    Goats – for milk, fiber or meat, field buddy for a horse You may need to lift a goat onto a stand for examination or to give meds, shear fiber, or general care. Strength can be a factor although there are ways to work smarter and not harder. Goats prefer browse to pasture grass so the hay can be of lower quality, weedier except for lactating dams and last stage of pregnancy. Commercial goat chow cost average $13 – $18 for a 50 lb bag. We feed half a cup per goat/twice a day, with free choice hay and browse. Approximately 1 hay flake per goat per day (hay bales separate into portions called flakes) Basic care for a herd of goats will take about 30 minutes, two times per day. Check fences, observe the goats, feed, and water.
    Weekly, clean up the stall area and remove soiled hay. Replace bedding. General stall cleaning and maintenance.    		 Goats require yearly vaccinations. You can learn to do this on your own, except for the rabies vaccine which in many states has to be administered by a veterinarian. Hoof trimming needs to be done two to four times a year. Breeding animals may require more care,
    Pigs More cleaning will need to be done so more strength will be required. The pigs can be pushy and aggressive for food. Pigs are very resourceful and can use many different food types to convert to muscle mass. Kitchen scraps, garden waste, hay and commercial feed can all be used to produce a healthy animal. Pig feed average cost is $17. Whole corn is another alternative and can be a cheaper choice. Fencing for the pig area or pig pastures will be a time consuming factor before bringing home the piglets. I believe the use of electric fencing is a must with pigs. We use both post and board fencing with dual electric lines inside the fence line. I do not recommend raising pigs as a first homestead animal choice. I recommend developing some homestead instincts and animal knowledge before venturing into raising pigs
    Cows – beef yes physical strength is required. varies. Pasture with strong fencing is a must. Finishing the beef cow on grain will run about $11 and $14 dollars a bag. daily care may not amount to much depending on your property but in the big picture, raising beef cattle can be very time consuming I do not recommend starting a homestead with beef cattle.

    I hope this gives you a good start on gathering information before adding animals to the homestead. Remember, homesteading is a journey, not a race. Having a field full of livestock, but not enjoying caring for them, is not worth the effort or expense. Add what your family needs and can care for slowly.  Enjoy the journey!

    We raise animals on our farm for our homestead use.  We are not commercial poultry or beef producers.    The information I am conveying here is from this point of view.    I welcome your  constructive comments below.  Please share with us, your encouraging tips and advice for new homesteaders.

     

     

     

     For more in this series please visit –

    So You Want to be a Homesteader Part 1

     The Bookshelf- So You Want to be a Homesteader – Part 2

    This post was shared on The Homestead Barn Hop,

    Simple Saturday Hop,

    From the Farm Blog Hop,

    Backyard Farming Connection Hop, 

    Mountain Woman Journal Hop

    http://timbercreekfarmer.com/adding-animals-to-the-homestead-so-you-want-to-be-a-homesteader-part-3/

    On – 30 Dec, 2016 By Janet Garman

  • Renewable Energy – The Precise Facts to Know

    Renewable Energy – The Precise Facts to Know

    In a simple word, renewable energy comes from natural cycles and systems, turning the ever-present energy around us into functional forms. Renewable (alternative) energy is mostly cleaner than energy from nonrenewable options such as natural gas, petroleum, and coal. But right now in the U. S. over many of these of our energy still comes from nonrenewable resources.

    Such as the name says, green energy can be refilled continuously. Its sources include radiant energy like sun, thermal energy like geothermal, chemical processes like biomass, gravitational energy like hydropower, and motion energy like wind.

    A few of the key sources of power include:

    Solar

    Solar electricity is able to one day solve much of the energy needs, but that day is still very remote. Still, solar technology has become more efficient and cost-effective every year, and it is the fastest-growing kind of renewable energy.

    Wind

    Wind power is one of the greenest technologies, and also one of the most abounding and cost-competitive energy resources, rendering it a viable option to the non-renewable powers that harm our health and threaten the environment. Yet wind power is unreliable as a frequent source of electricity, impacts great tracts of land, and it is unavailable where wind is intermittent.

    Hydro

    Harnessing the kinetic power of moving normal water to generate electricity is the major source of renewable power in the USA and worldwide. Hydropower can be a sustainable and nonpolluting power source that can help decrease our dependence on fossil fuels and minimize the threat of global warming, but is limited to areas with large and regular drinking water supplies.

    Bio-fuels

    Ethanol is the product of crops full of sugar or starch, while biodiesel is the product of crops with high essential oil content. Both are natural carbon fuel, and both provide practical powers which may have not yet reached their full probable. Scientists continue refining food stocks to obtain higher efficiencies.

    Geothermal

    Heat from the earth, or geothermal energy, is cost effective, reliable, and clean, but is mostly limited to areas near tectonic plate limits. Some progress has recently been made recently in broadening the range of geothermal resources, but geothermal electric power remains a limited solution to our energy needs.

    Ocean

    Another form of kinetic power technology, the ocean’s frequent motion by way of dunes, tides, and currents is an effective and clean energy resource. Like other hydro power, though, its geographic range is limited.

    Renewable Energy and Environment/Climate Change –

    There is general arrangement among the world’s major economies that it is essential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 50% by 2050. And with energy-related Carbon Dioxide accounting for 61 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions today, the energy sector must be at the heart of change.

    Europe is committed to a 30 percent reduction by the year 2020 and a 60 to 80 percent decline by 2050, under stipulation that additional developing nations also obligate. To accomplish the things, it will require a huge sum of USD 22 trillion in global energy investments over the next 25 to 30 years.

    http://greenhoper.net/info/renewable-energy-the-precise-facts-to-know/

    On – 10 Feb, 2017 By greenhoper

  • Sarah Beeny on How To Live Mortgage Free: ‘It’s about finding alternative ways of living’

    Sarah Beeny on How To Live Mortgage Free: ‘It’s about finding alternative ways of living’

    Property expert Sarah Beeny, architect Damion Burrows and designer Max McMurdo will meet individuals across the country who are self-building unconventional homes with one aim in mind – to be mortgage free.

    The trio will be looking at these alternative ways of owning your own property in Channel 4’s new series, How to Live Mortgage Free, this week. Here, Sarah talks about what we can expect…

    Your new show is How to Live Mortgage Free – what is it all about?

    Obviously with no money, you can’t own a house. But if you have some assets, let’s say you’ve saved up enough for a deposit, or you’ve got some capital in your home with a big mortgage, is there a way of living in proper low-cost housing? Is there a way of looking at things in a slightly different way, and instead of having a home that will cost you £300,000, can you do it for a tenth of that cost? Can you get a home for less money, so you don’t have a massive mortgage?

    And what is the answer?

    It’s all about finding slightly alternative ways of living. If you want to go the standard route where you live near Starbucks and the tube in a three bedroom Victorian terrace, you probably can’t live mortgage free because you need more money for that. But a lot of people spend an awful lot of money on rent. If you can stop paying rent then you save an extraordinary amount of money.

    What will we see on the show?

    We have one girl on the show who pays £20,000-a-year in rent. She saved about £25,000, but that, as a deposit, was nowhere near enough to be able to buy a flat where she lived in London. So she ended up buying a barge for £168,000 and refurbishing it, and living on the water. There are a couple of people in the series living on the water. There are other places and other ways that you can live which are much lower cost, which either enable you to save up for a bigger deposit and a smaller mortgage, or you can just buy outright. We’ve got somebody else who’s bought a double decker bus and turned it into a home, which is really cool. And there’s another guy who’s turned the back of a lorry into a home. He does live on a farm in Wales, so he’s got the luxury of the fact that he can use his parents’ land. Land is the biggest cost involved – if you’ve got a piece of land with planning permission, that’s the biggest hurdle overcome.

    One of the ways of doing that is to build on a brownfield site [land previously used for industrial or commercial purposes]. How do people go about finding such places?

    Well, that’s the key. You need to be a dog with a bone. This is not the easy path, which is why it’s not the normal path. You have to hunt around. One of the things I’ve learned in housing is that the big wins go to the people who take the big risks. Brownfield sites are really interesting. It’s an easier planning battle to get a home on a brownfield than a greenfield site, and you end up with a much cheaper property. Quite a lot of people in the series are selling their homes with a mortgage and buying a new home for a lot less money.

    What was your favourite solution that someone came up with for going mortgage free?

    The double decker bus is really cool, and the lorry too. Everyone knows you can build a home out of a shipping container, but the lorry was really interesting to me. It’s mobile, which means you can take it with you in the future. It’s not simple to move around, but you can move it. And if you use a container, it’s difficult to put in the windows and doors because a lot of the structure is in the walls. But a lorry back is effectively a frame, and in-filling a frame is so easy, anyone could do it. My kids could do it. And you can fit it with any size of windows or doors. You need a low level of skill to turn a lorry back into a home, so I thought that was really clever.

     

    Catch How to Live Mortgage Free on Wednesday 19 April at 8pm on Channel 4

    Keep up-to-date with our inspiring ideas, latest looks, real-life homes and expert advice by signing up for our FREE newsletter…

    http://www.housebeautiful.co.uk/lifestyle/property/news/a1571/sarah-beeny-on-how-to-live-mortgage-free/

    On – 18 Apr, 2017 By Olivia Heath

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